The Path of a Ninja
by Jko333
Summary: This a story about Naruto after the war. It does not follow the canon storyline neither do the pairings. SasuHina and NaruSaku are the main pairings. Sasuke will leave on a journey to redemption while Naruto will travel across out of the 5 great nations. Sakura will train to become the greatest medical ninja. Hinata will become the leader of her clan and change their old ways.


**A/N:** This story dies not follow the canon story. This story follows up to 691 and ends there. I will make a whole story line of Naruto V. Sasuke that will go along with this story because I feel Kishi rushed their final fight.

"…"-Speaking

'…'-Thoughts

X-Transition to different time and/or place.

**Chapter 1: A New Leaf! The Path to Redemption!**

It's been a month after my battle with Sasuke and seven months after the war. The scars left from the war were still fresh. The 5 nations worked in harmony even after the war. They saw a bright hope in Uzumaki Naruto. He was the light that could warm even the coldest shinobi's heart. Naruto was well on his way to being Hokage; he was actually the next in line. The 4 other kages wouldn't admit but they were relieved some with emotional aptitude and outside thinking will be on their Kage Council.

Sasuke Uchiha on the other hand had to face two charges. His first punishment was being sentence on a journey that will make visit the families of every shinobi that died in the war since he was key in the revival of the ten tails. The second punishment is that he will also do whatever task the families ask him to do no matter how menial it is. These two punishments will give him a chance to see the world and give him a sense of the wrongs he committed. 

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Today was no ordinary day for Uchiha Sasuke it was his second to last day in the village and he had one last villager to visit and give his condolences too. The fair lady was none other than Hyuuga Hinata. He was hoping that this would be quick, as he didn't want to delay his departure.

As he got there he notice the young Hyuuga sitting by the pond in the Hyuuga compound. It sort of reminded him of when he was a kid. Her blank face, the distant eyes and the stiffness in her body showed signs of regret and loneliness. He understood that as he felt weak and pitiful when Itachi slaughter his clan. The difference however is Sasuke had the goal of killing his brother to keep him going. It was drive for vengeance that made him grow to the power he has today but Hinata has no drive whatsoever. She isn't like him she doesn't have that hatred he had for Itachi or the village no she only has regret. He unconsciously walked towards her and laid his palm on her shoulder. She instantly woke up out of her reverie and turned towards the hand on her shoulder. Hinata was shocked when her eyes followed the hand of the person who was touching her. She just couldn't believe the infamous Uchiha Sasuke was touching.

"My condolences Hyuuga-san." He was bewildered by his approach and tone towards her but he brushed it off.

"Tha-thank you Sasuke-kun," Hinata was red as a tomato. Sasuke hand never left her though.

"Don't beat yourself up over things you couldn't prevent and strive towards making yourself stronger so you can stop it next time," He said as he looked into her hazel eyes.

"I'm n-not strong though. I'm just a failure who acted irrationally. I made too many mistakes all because I'm hopelessly in love. The same man couldn't even return a yes or no to a confession I said a year ago," Hinata was in bawling out tears at this point.

'Tch Naruto you really try to brush a girl's confession. You really are just a coward when it comes to woman' Sasuke kind of knew who the Hyuuga had a thing for Naruto since encounter of the rookie nine. I mean every k-11 did... well except for Naruto.

"Hmph. Well failures can only become stronger if their driven to do so just look at Naruto. People will never become stronger unless you let go of your past mistake and learn from them. Only through mistakes can you gain experience." 

"..." Hinata was quite speechless. Sasuke Uchiha was giving her a pep talk even though it was quite rude calling her failure but at least he's honest. The thought alone made her go into a fit of giggles.

"What's so funny?" Sasuke had tiny tint of pink from embarrassment. Only people with good eyes could see it.

"N-nothing, I just find it funny that the person I know the least about is giving me words of encouragement."

"Oh well it's just you reminded me of me as a kid. I know the pain of lost too..." Sasuke finally broke contact with her and looked at the shrine at the pond.

"Thank you, Sasuke-kun."

He looked back at her and smiled "You're welcome. Also you were my last person for a reason Hyuuga."

'What could he mean by that!' Hinata turned red all over again.

"I looked into the way the Hyuuga works and the things your clan does towards fellow clansmen is horrid. You people are imprisoning all those that aren't a part of a main branch. The under clansmen are at the mercy of the main branch but I can't do anything to change that. Only a person of the same clan can changes the view and custom of a clan. If you really want to honor you cousin's death than abolish the caged bird curse seal and destroy the segregation between main and cadet branches. You are the only one who isn't tainted by the teachings of the Hyuuga. Beware though you will need to become the strongest in the clan to succeed as the rightful heir of the Hyuuga and that means you'll have to train very hard." Sasuke had dead serious tone throughout his speech.

"Thank you Sasuke-kun!" Hinata didn't have that dead those dead eyes anymore; no they were replaced by a burning determination.

"Goodbye, Hyuuga-san"

"Oh, Sasuke-kun can y-you s-stop calling me by my surname. We're practically friends now," Hinata beamed.

"Hmph then stop with the honorifics. I always found them annoying." Sasuke turned to look at her.

"Okay!" She smiled brightly.

As he was leaving again she spoke up again "Um Sasuke would you like to go out for dinner b-but it's not like a d-date or anything. I just don't want to be alone right now but its okay if you don't want to go." Hinata looked at the ground.

"Why not but were not getting ramen I've been on that for a whole month because Naruto," Sasuke couldn't help but smile when he thought of the past month in Konoha. Naruto was not so secretly helping with his punishment and after each day long of giving condolences and doing what they've asked him to Naruto and him would go eat a refreshing bowl of Ichiraku ramen and reflect on their day.

"Sure. I know a good place with a very broad menu." Hinata looked at with renewed vigor.

"Okay but you probably don't want to go to a restaurant in your pajamas." Hinata looked down to see she was still in her pajamas. It just hit her that they had such a deep conversation while she was, as she'd put it "indecent". She was red as a tomato. She scurried to her room. Sasuke calmly followed her to the stairs where he thought it be appropriate to wait.

She got dressed pretty quickly and hurried out the room to not keep Sasuke waiting long. When she got to the stairs she tripped and fell. Sasuke caught in her midway tumble. " Are you always this clumsy?"

"K-kind of." Sasuke just stared at her and chuckled.

"This going to be an entertaining evening." Sasuke smirked as he walked out of the compound but he forgot one thing.

"S-S-S-Sasuke can you put me down this very embarrassing." Sasuke couldn't believe he forgot she was in his arms but she was a lot lighter than he anticipated.

"Yeah... Sorry" After getting through that embarrassing scene they walked side by side the rest of the way.

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"Remember what I said" Kakashi look at his student " The Hokage and I are putting are necks out."

"Yeah, Yeah, Yeah don't go on crazy revenge plot." An uninterested Sasuke said.

"It looks like you're learning my student." Kakashi smiled through his mask.

"Tch."

"Ah, Sasuke you look like you're already missing us" jabbed Sakura.

"Haha very funny Sakura."

"Sasuke you should lighten up" Sakura lightly punched his arm.

"Yeah whatever," Sasuke smirked at his new bond with Team 7.

"Later, Sasuke" Kakashi nodded.

"Goodbye, Sasuke." Sakura just smiled.

With a curt nod Sasuke gave his goodbyes to his fellow teammates but before he got two feat from them someone called his name.

"Sasuke! Wait!" Hinata was running at top speed. She manage to make it to village gates before she tipped over the hump and almost face planted if Sasuke didn't use his quick speed and reflexes to catch her.

"You know Hinata, tripping could get you killed one day."

"Um s-sorry"

"It was a joke Hinata" Sasuke smiled.

"...Oh. You sure have a dry sense of humor, Sasuke" Hinata.

"It said to be redeeming quality,"

"Hinata and Sasuke know each other and they are comfortably bantering." Sakura was astonished while Kakashi mouth dropped was so far to the ground that his mask was about to rip.

"Oh good morning Sakura-san and Kakashi-sensei."

'We were totally ignored' they both thought unison.

"Oh yes I wanted to give this bento for helping me last night."

"Thank you"

'Eh Sasuke said thank you' they thought in unison again.

While Kakashi and Sakura was going through a little bit of shock, and confusion Sasuke set down Hinata and took the bento. They both said their goodbyes and Sasuke went on his way. As he was now two miles from the gate Naruto came out.

"Hehe before you leave Sasuke you're going to need this" He handed him his leaf headband.

Sasuke looked at his closest friends bandages and thought 'He took a fatal blow which resulted in his hand getting severely burned. It was almost melted off by the time Sakura and Kakashi got there yet he still sees me has his brother. Uzumaki Naruto you're a truly amazing person.' 

"Thank You, Naruto" Sasuke grabbed his headband while looking straight into the eyes of the man who lead him out of the darkness.

"Don't forget where your home is, Teme." Naruto smirked.

"Never again, Usuratonkachi." Sasuke smirked back.


End file.
